Berenz Wealth Management

Michele Berenz, the founder and CEO, and John Berenz, President and Managing Partner, jointly oversee portfolio construction and investment selection. The firm does not maintain a separate investment committee beyond the two named principals. Client portfolios reflect their direct oversight rather than models designed by an external CIO or third-party strategist.

The firm builds individual bond ladders—primarily municipals, corporates, and agencies—by purchasing securities directly in the secondary market rather than through bond funds or SMAs. This allows Berenz to precisely manage duration, call risk, and state-specific tax treatment for Arizona residents. Credit selection is conducted in-house by the principals.

No. Berenz does not operate proprietary mutual funds, interval funds, or registered investment companies. Client assets are held in separately managed accounts at custodians such as Charles Schwab or Fidelity. Alternative investments like real estate and private credit are accessed through third-party private placement offerings, not in-house fund vehicles.

Berenz does not engage in venture capital or early-stage company investing. Its private market exposure is concentrated in income-producing commercial real estate equity and middle-market private credit funds, typically those distributing current cash flow rather than relying on long-duration capital appreciation.

The firm acts as a limited partner, not a co-investor with GPs. Berenz clients gain exposure to private real estate and credit by subscribing to limited partnership offerings from external sponsors. The firm does not negotiate co-investment rights or execute direct deals alongside those managers on behalf of clients.

The firm has no known allocation to venture capital, early-stage technology, commodities futures, or cryptocurrency. Berenz's investment approach is anchored to income generation and capital preservation, making speculative, non-cash-flowing sectors unlikely to appear in client portfolios.

Berenz operates as a registered investment advisor (RIA) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, filing Form ADV with the SEC or appropriate state regulator. It is an independent, privately held firm with no parent company, bank holding company affiliation, or external private equity ownership. Fee structures are asset-based for portfolio management and hourly or fixed when providing standalone financial planning.